Sawdust burning smoke generator



July 15, 1958 M. J. G. TIPPER 2,843,106

SAWDUST BURNING SMOKE GENERATOR Original Filed 001:. 24. 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jfaynara J G. Tipper ATTOR N EYE M. J. G. TIPPER SAWDUST BURNING SMOKE GENERATOR Original Filed Oct. 24, 1949 July 15, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MynardJGHpper ATTORNEYS dehz -a deuz United States Patent SAWDUST BURNING SMOKE GENERATOR Substituted for abandoned application Serial No.

October 24, 1949. This Serial No. 586,191

3 Claims. (Cl. 126-595) 123,287, application May 21, 1956,

This invention relates to smoke generating apparatus for producing smoke -by the burning of sawdust-for the treatment of meats, etc. in smoke houses; the present invention being a division of my application, Serial No. 123,287, filed October 24, 1949, now abandoned.

The major object of the invention is to provide a smoke generator, including a novel sawdust burning pot and rotary sweep assembly, which is operative to accomplish an even and effective combustion of the sawdust, while preventing the formation of burned-out sawdust pockets or craters in the sawdust mass open to the top surface thereof, which would permit undesirable flaming in the pot and reduction in the smoke produced.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a sawdust burning smoke generator, as in the preceding paragraph, which is arranged so that the side wall of the pot is not subjected to intense heat, and is maintained relatively cool, so as to avoid Warping, and to reduce fire hazard.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a practical, reliable, and durable sawdust burning smoke generator, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side outline of the smoke generator emphasizing, in elevation, the burning pot; both being partly broken away. I p t Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the burning pot showing its association with adjacent and cooperating parts, particularly the rotary sweep.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, the smoke generator, as a whole, comprises generally an upstanding cylindrical shell 1 held up from the floor by legs 2 and having a central opening 3 in its bottom plate 1a for clean-out and air-entry purposes.

The burning pot B, which will be described in detail hereinafter, is disposed in the shell at the bottom and receives the sawdust S, which is initially damp, from a funnel-shaped supply hopper 4 depending into the pot centrally thereof and removably supported from, and forming a closure with, the rim of the shell.

An agitator shaft 5 extends through the hopper, and is driven from its upper end by a motor 6 mounted on a cross plate 7 on top of the shell, and which is removably secured in place by bolts 8. The motor 6 also drives a fan 9 which feeds a forceful flow of air to the burning pot through a pipe 10, in the manner disclosed later.

The smoke, as generated by the burning sawdust, is drawn through an outlet 11 in one side of the shell and is forced by a suction fan and blower 12 through a filtering device 13, and thence through a flue 14 to the smoke house for use.

2,843,106 Patented July 15, 1958 The primary feature of the instant invention is the burning pot B, in combination with a rotary sweep hereinafter described; such burning pot B being made of heavy boiler plate, and comprising a circular base plate 15 having an upstanding cylindrical outer wall 16, which extends somewhat above the lower end of the hopper 4, and is of smaller diameter than the shell 1 so as to leave an air space therebetween.

The pot is held up from the bottom plate 1a of the shell and centered therein by depending shouldered feet 17 removably seating, up to the shoulders, in properly located holes 18in bottom plate 1a.

The base plate 15 has a central clean-out opening 19, normally closed by a sliding door 20 which is operated by a removably attached handle rod 21 projecting through shell 1 on one side.

A relatively short distance above the base plate 15, a continuous flange 22 extends radially in from and all about wall 16. A vertical band 23 extends between flange 22 and plate 15 at a point radially out from the inner periphery of said flange 22; being spaced from wall 16 to form the inner wall of a continuous annular air chamber 24. Band 23 is provided with a row of somewhat closely spaced air holes 25 therethrough.

Air under forced feed is supplied to chamber 24 from pipe 10 by means of a nipple 26 projecting through the shell 1 from the lower end of said pipe and removably coupled in a fitting 27 secured on the outside of wall 16 in line with chamber 24. p

The lower end of the agitator shaft 5 is removably supported by the burning pot on a thrust bearing 28 mounted on a cross bar 29 which is fixed on base plate 15 over opening 19. The agitator shaft carries, besides the hopper agitator 30, a radial rod 31 to sweep through the sawdust a short distance above flange 22. Such radialsweep rod 31 is of such length that it not only overlaps the flange 22, but terminates adjacent the Wall 16.

A vertically adjustable sawdust feed-control disc 32 is secured on shaft 5 above the radial sweep rod 31 and just below the mouth 33 of the hopper 4, so that the sawdust will be maintained in the burning pot at a level slightly above said mouth, 'as indicated by level L.

Due to the construction and arrangement above described, the initially damp sawdust will be automatically maintained at the level L by gravity feed from the hopper as the sawdust below is consumed, so that the hopper mouth is always closed against an upward flow of smoke through the hopper.

By reason of the annular forced feed air chamber 24, air to promote even, efficient, and complete combustion of the sawdust is blown through the mass of sawdust evenly all about the pot; the constantly rotating radial agitator or sweep rod 31 preventing the formation of burned-out sawdust pockets in the mass, and further assuring of even combustion of the sawdust.

More specifically, the initially damp sawdust-as fed into the pot from aboveis constantly worked by the rotating radial agitator or sweep rod 31, so as to continuously spread such initially damp sawdust in an unbroken layer over the sawdust which progressively dries out and burns in the lower portion of the pot, principally below the horizontal plane of the flange 22, and which burning is supported by the air force-fed from the chamber 24 through the holes 25.

Such spreading of the initially damp sawdust in an unbroken layer overlying the burning sawdust therebelow is for the essential purpose of maintaining a smudge or smoke producing blanket over said burning sawdust, and to further prevent the creation of burned-out pockets or craters extending upwardly in the sawdust mass to the level L, and which would otherwise permit undesirable flaming in the pot.

With the continuous rotation of the radial agitator or sweep rod 31, it not only maintains such blanket of initially damp sawdust over the burning sawdust therebelow, but also extends such blanket onto the flange 22 and against the adjacent portion of the wall 16; the advantage being two-fold: Firstly, the initially damp sawdust on the flange 22 and against said adjacent portion of the wall 16 maintains such parts cooler than would otherwise be'the case, and--secondlyprevents the fire in the lower portion of the pot from creeping about the flange 22, along the same toward the Wall 16, and thence up the latter.

In addition to its cooperative relationship with the radial agitator or sweep rod 31, as above, the flange 22 serves the purpose of keeping the sawdust from jamming against and plugging the holes 25, and further tends to cause the burning to occur mainly inwardly or centrally of the pot, as is desirable.

The pot being supported clear of the bottom, as well as of the sides of the shell, cool air pulled through opening 3 by the action of the fan 12 will pass under and then up the sides of the pot, thus keeping the exterior of the pot cooler, and providing a heat insulation between the pot and the shell, reducing the fire hazard. This air of course mingles with the smoke generated by the burning sawdust, cooling such smoke, as is desirable.

With the described smoke generator, and particularly by the use of the radial agitator or sweep rod 31 working in the upper portion or layer of the initially damp sawdust, a most efficient production of smoke is attained, primarily by reason of such initially damp sawdust being continuously maintained in unbroken or blanketing relation to the sawdust burning therebelow in the pot.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as will substantially fulfill the objects of the invention, as set forth herein. a

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

l. A sawdust burning smoke generator comprising a hopper having a bottom discharge end and adapted to hold sawdust and to discharge the same downwardly substantially continuously, a burning pot positioned below the hopper centrally thereof and having a diameter substantially greater than the diameter of the bottom discharge end of the hopper, the top of the burning pot being open and receiving the discharge end of the hopper, the burning pot including a side wall extending a substantial distance above the discharge end of the hopper and also including a base plate spaced a substantial distance below the discharge end of the hopper, a relatively narrow marginal flange projecting inwardly from the side wall of the burning pot and spaced somewhat above the base plate of the burning pot and spaced a substantial distance below the discharge end of the hopper, said flange defining a large opening centrally of the burning pot and hopper whereby the ashes from the lowermost burning mass of sawdust within the burning pot may fall freely onto the base plate below said flange, a continuously driven shaft mounted axially of the hopper and burning pot, and an elongated sweep rod secured to the shaft to turn therewith near and above said marginal flange and having its outer end terminating close to said side wall of the burning pot, said sweep rod spaced a substantial distance below the lower discharge end of the hopper and completely embedded within the mass of sawdust within said burning pot, the mass of sawdust being maintained at all times to at least the level of the discharge end of the hopper within the burning pot.

2. A sawdust burning smoke generator according to claim 1, and means for introducing air through the side wall of the burning pot near and below said marginal flange.

3. A sawdust burning smoke generator according to claim 1, and ash discharge means connected with the base plate of the burning pot, the burning pot having air inlet opening means near and below said marginal flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,449,490 Barbour Mar. 27, 1923 1,811,191 Taylor June 23, 1931 1,939,265 Jordan et al. Dec. 12, 1933 1,970,858 Lauterbur et a1. Aug. 21, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS 559,562 Germany Sept. 22, 1932 

